“Please don’t kill me, I have children,” she pleaded during the undoubtedly terrifying ordeal that’s the stuff of nightmares.

There, encapsulated in one sentence uttered in all-consuming fright by arguably the world’s most famous woman, was the greatest reality check of all.

Suddenly all the millions, limos, private jets, designer clothes and diamonds were shown up for the empty trappings they are.

In this kind of terrifying scenario, all of life's material pleasures become worthless

For when our lives are threatened ­— be it through serious illness or staring down the barrel of a gun — we are all reduced to the common realisation that nothing matters more than those we love.

Kim’s biographer, Sean Smith, says: “She has sold every part of herself. But I wonder if this incident may be the beginning of the end of Kim Kardashian.”

He means the brand rather than the person, and for her sake as well as ours, I rather hope it is.

PA:Press Association

Kim’s biographer Sean Smith, says: 'She has sold every part of herself'

For Kim is the high priestess of the social media generation, a woman who has made a hugely lucrative career out of invading her own privacy.

Nothing, it seems, is out of bounds. Family arguments, marital woes, her young children, even medical appointments have all been laid bare for the delectation of anyone who cares to watch.

Consequently, the queen of self-obsessed selfie takers has garnered around 50million followers, many of them youngsters who pray at the altar of a shallow fame that perpetuates the wholly unhealthy mindset that the most important thing about someone is their hair, make-up or outfit.

Social media is fuelling a surge of anxiety in young women

Little wonder then that, this week, the annual Guides Association Girls’ Attitudes report has shown a 12-per-cent drop in those aged seven to 21 being happy with the way they look — from 73 per cent last year to 61 per cent now.

Worryingly, one third say they are made to feel that looking “perfect” is the most important thing in their life.

Another report, by NHS Digital, said social media is fuelling a surge of depression and anxiety in young women, many of whom feel obliged to digitally enhance their photos and feel rejected if they don’t get positive comments or “likes”.

Kim Kardashian/Instagram

After the robbery, hopefully we will witness the end of Kim as a brand

Causally, there’s a bigger picture than just Kim Kardashian of course, but she and the others who perpetually post photos of themselves looking perfect — when, in reality, filters and an army of hair, make-up and clothes stylists have been used to help perpetuate the myth — aren’t helping matters.

Given that Kim’s social media obsession is likely to have allowed the gang to keep track of her movements and locate the apartment, then she has paid a very heavy price for it.

Kim Kardashian/Instagram

She may now tell her followers that who you are as a person is much more important than what you look like or do

I hope they catch the dangerous criminals who put her through such a life-changing ordeal.

It will be nothing short of a miracle if she emerges from the experience psychologically unscathed, but I wish her well and hope that, if and when she returns to social media, it’s to tell her followers that who you are as a person is much more important than what you look like or do.

Prince Harry battles Batten disease

AP:Associated Press

Harry hugs a young boy with Batten disease

BE still our beating hearts. As if we couldn’t love Prince Harry any more than we already do, along comes this photo of his smiling face prompting a young boy with Batten disease to rise up and give him a hug.

It is a horribly debilitating condition with the added spike that sufferers are born seemingly well, only for their health to slowly deteriorate from around the age of four onwards.

The delightful Ollie Carroll, pictured, is just five, and already has trouble controlling his limbs.

Getty Images

The delightful Ollie Carroll, pictured, is just five, and already has trouble controlling his limbs

Eventually he will be unable to walk, see, speak or swallow.

His mum Lucy, from Poynton, Cheshire, says: “Ollie isn’t actually aware of who Harry is but just reacted instinctively to the way he was talking and interacting with him. He is brilliant with kids.”

Indeed. As was his mother Diana, who would have been so proud of the man he’s become.

Colin Montgomerie and wife go to court

She, in turn, is counter-suing him for the same amount.
One winner: Lawyers.

Play it again, Shami

PA:Press Association

The Labour Party has defended Baroness Shami Chakrabarti’s son attending a top private school

ONCE again facing claims of hypocrisy, the Labour Party has defended Baroness Shami Chakrabarti’s son attending a top private school by suggesting that it was her ex-husband’s decision to send him there and not hers.

Oh puh-lease.

Ms Chakrabarti has never spoken against selective education so, to my mind, she is as entitled as anyone else to want the best for her child.

But as a trained lawyer and former director of Liberty, an organisation that promotes “the values of individual human dignity, equal treatment and fairness as the foundations of a democratic society”, the notion that she played absolutely no part in determining her child’s future is as disingenuous as it is patronising.

Poldark star 'happy to strip off'

POLDARK star Heida Reed says she would be happy to strip off because: “I’m from Iceland and we have a culture that is a lot more relaxed about that kind of stuff.”

But she also reveals that, so far, she hasn’t been asked.
Fear not, Heida.
Given your willingness to bare all and the recent drop in ratings, something tells me that, even as I type, a writer is being dispatched to a lonely garrett to rectify this oversight in time for series three.
All done in the best possible taste and, ahem, wholly necessary to the plot.

Prime Minister's killer heels

EPA

She was dubbed the 'Steel Lady' for her forthright Brexit speech and these eye-catching pair of metal-capped shoes

THE Prime Minister was dubbed “the steel lady” after delivering her no-nonsense Brexit speech while wearing an eye-catching pair of metal-capped shoes.

Theresa May’s choice was hailed as a fashion statement but one wonders whether there was an ulterior motive?

Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

One wonders if she was trying to imitate Bond villain Rosa Klebb

And that any dissent in the ranks would be swiftly dealt with in the style of Bond villain Rosa Klebb, right – via a fugu venom-laced jab to the calf?

Tell-all Victoria tale is tacky

PA:Press Association

Victoria Wood never penned an autobiography because she was a 'very private person'

VICTORIA WOOD is the autobiography that got away. It would have been brilliant, sold millions and made her a fortune.

But she never penned one, presumably because, as her brother Chris pointed at at the time of her death in April: “Victoria was a very private person and was adamant her private life was kept separate, especially when it came down to her children.”

So the news that he is rushing out a tell-all book in which she’s described as a “fat” and “lonely” child seems pretty low.

Worse, he hasn’t made her two children, Grace and Henry, aware of his plans. Chris mitigates that he is donating “all my royalties” to his sister’s favourite charities.

Hmmm. But no mention of whether there was a substantial financial advance, nor the money that might come from serialisation rights in a newspaper or magazine.

Rumour has it the siblings weren’t that close in later life.

Now we can see why.

Kate caning it

APPARENTLY, “private shots” of Kate Moss caning it have been stolen from her sister Lottie’s Facebook page.

As there are already 485,000 highly public shots of her caning it, one doubts the leak will trouble her too much.

Mystic Moore's Cheryl vision

Getty Images

A betting woman observing her now noticeably swollen abdomen would reckon she’s about four to five months pregnant

IN mid-May I commented on Ms Tweedy-Cole-Fernandez-Versini-Payne’s obvious glow and mused:

“Could the happy couple’s infectious joy, and Cheryl’s undoubted radiance, be linked to the forthcoming pitter- patter of tiny feet?”

Nothing’s confirmed, but a betting woman observing her now noticeably swollen abdomen would reckon she’s about four to five months pregnant.